Messi & Guardiola 'on verge of move to Man City'

It's taken more than three years of work, but it looks like the stars are finally about to align for Manchester City.

Having trailed Bayern Munich manager Pep Guardiola ever since he constructed his all-conquering team at Barcelona between 2008 and 2012, reports are that he will join the Blues when his contract at the Allianz Arena runs out in the summer.

And that's not all - he'll be reuniting with the world's best player Lionel Messi, who will also be moving to the Etihad, to earn staggering wages of £800,000 a week.

The source for the Guardiola news is respected Spanish radio station Cadena COPE, who report that “Pep Guardiola will leave Bayern Munich at the end of this season and will train Manchester City next season. Guardiola has decided on a change of scenery. He considers his time in Germany will end on 30 June after three seasons and, therefore, fulfil one of his wishes: to coach in England.”

In the usual European managerial merry-go-round, former Chelsea and Real Madrid boss Carlo Ancelotti would then replace Guardiola at Bayern, while Manuel Pellegrini would be paid off a year early.

Meanwhile, The Independentwrites that a combination of factors are pushing Messi toward the exit door at the Nou Camp. Foremost, he's been angered by the club's decision to prioritise the renewal of Neymar's contract over his, secondly, he's grown frustrated with his ongoing tax issues with the Spanish authorities, and thirdly, the impressive form of the Barca team during his recent absence with injury means that he is no longer the essential member of the team he once was.

These, combined with the opportunity to team up once again with his old boss and the not inconsiderable matter of earning £800,000 a week - £40m a year - means that he is open to a move to the Etihad.

Messi has a buyout fee of around £250m, although it's believed that the club would accept a world-record £120m fee.

As ever in football rumours, who knows for sure - some are reporting that landing Messi will lead to Guardiola moving, and others vice versa - but if it's ever going to happen, it looks like now.

(Image: Rex)

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Dave Fawbert

ShortList.com staff writer Dave’s primary passions are pop, prose, punning and power ballads (and alliteration). A lower division football enthusiast and long-suffering cricket fan, he is one of only 110 people followed on Twitter by Chas Hodges from Chas ‘n’ Dave. Follow Dave on Twitter like Chas: @davefawbert